VIJAYAWADA: The investigation into the fire tragedy on Sunday last, found fault with the managements of both Ramesh Hospitals and hotel Swarna Palace, as they both were aware of the electrical defects in the hotel and intentionally avoided repairing them for it involved huge expenditure.
In the remand report, which is in possession of The New Indian Express, the investigating officer (IO) reported to the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate that Ramesh Hospitals did not take safety measures into consideration, while entering into an understanding with the hotel and was also aware that the management failed to rectify the electrical defects.
“Due to negligence of both the hospital and hotel managements, 10 persons died and 18 suffered injuries in the fire tragedy. While the hotel management failed to adhere to safety protocol, Ramesh Hospitals is responsible for running the COVID-19 Care Centre in the hotel thus putting the lives of patients at risk,” the remand report read.
The Vijayawada Police filed a petition seeking the custody of the three arrested — Dr Kodali Raja Gopal Rao, Dr Kurapati Sudarsan and Pallepothu Srinivas — for questioning. Meanwhile, a day after the district administration cancelled the licence of Dr Ramesh Cardiac and Multispecialty Hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, District Collector A Md Imtiaz on Saturday said the report prepared by the committee, headed by JC L Siva Shankar, has been sent to the State government.
“The State government will give further directions on the action to be taken in the case. At present, our officials are questioning as many people as possible to get maximum information,” the District Collector said. In a related development, Tollywood actor and nephew of absconding Ramesh Hospitals MD Pothineni Ramesh Babu, Ram Pothineni tweeted that his uncle is being cornered and alleged that there is a conspiracy to show Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in bad light.
He alleged the district officials too used the hotel as a paid quarantine facility in the past without checking the fire and other safety norms. “The hotel was used as a quarantine facility by the government until Ramesh Hospitals took permission to convert it into a CCC. Had this fire accident occurred three weeks ago, who would they (the government) have blamed,” he asked.
Reacting to Ram, South Zone ACP N Surya Chandra Rao, who is leading the investigation, said that it would be appreciated if the absconding Ramesh Babu appears and submits the same. “Both Ramesh Babu and hotel owner Srinivasa Rao can appear with whatever information they have. As part of the investigation, we served notices on them for which they failed to respond,” the ACP said, adding that those who do not respond to the notices could be arrested under Section 171 of CrPC.